Bible: Josh 4-5

Israel Commemorates the Crossing

4:1Whenthe entirenationwas on the otherside,1the LordtoldJoshua,4:2“Selectfor yourselves twelvemenfromthe people, one pertribe.4:3Instructthem, ‘Pickup twelvestonesfrom the middleof the Jordan, from the very place wherethe priests2standfirmly, and carry them overwithyou and putthem in theplace where you camptonight.’”

4:4Joshuasummonedthe twelvemenhe hadappointedfrom the Israelites, one pertribe.4:5Joshuatoldthem, “Goin frontof the arkof the Lordyour Godtothe middleof the Jordan. Eachof you is to put a stoneonhis shoulder, according to the numberof the Israelitetribes.4:6The stones3will bea reminderto you.4 Whenyour childrenasksomeday, ‘Whyare thesestonesimportant to you?’4:7tellthem howthe waterof the Jordanstopped flowing5 beforethe arkof the covenantof the Lord. When it crossedthe Jordan, the waterof the Jordanstopped flowing.6 Thesestoneswill bea lastingmemorialfor the Israelites.”

4:8The Israelitesdidjustas Joshuacommanded. They pickedup twelvestones, according to the numberof the Israelitetribes, from the middleof the Jordanasthe Lordhad instructedJoshua. They carried themoverwiththem tothe campand putthem there.4:9Joshuaalso set uptwelvestones7in the middleof the Jordanin the very place wherethe priestscarryingthe arkof the covenantstood. They remaintheretothisveryday.

4:10Now the priestscarryingthe arkof the covenant were standingin the middleof the Jordanuntileverythingthe LordhadcommandedJoshuato tellthe peoplewas accomplished, in accordance with allthatMoseshad commandedJoshua. The peoplewent acrossquickly,4:11and whenallthe peoplehad finished crossing, the arkof the Lordand the priestscrossed as the peoplelooked on.84:12The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribeof Manassehcrossedover armed for battleaheadof the Israelites, justas Moseshad instructedthem.4:13About fortythousandbattle-readytroops9marched pastthe Lordto fight10on the plainsof Jericho.114:14That daythe Lordbrought honorto JoshuabeforeallIsrael. They respected12him allhis life,13justas they had respected14Moses.

5:1Whenallthe Amoritekingson the westsideof the Jordanand allthe Canaanitekingsalong the seacoastheard howthe Lordhaddriedup thewaterof the Jordanbeforethe Israeliteswhilethey29 crossed, they lost their courageand could noteven breathefor fear of the Israelites.30

A New Generation is Circumcised

5:2At that timethe LordtoldJoshua, “Makeflintknivesand circumcisethe Israelitesonce again.”315:3So Joshuamadeflintknivesand circumcisedthe Israeliteson the Hillof the Foreskins.325:4Thisis why Joshuahad to circumcisethem: Allthe menold enough to fightwhen they leftEgyptdiedon the journeythrough the desertafter they leftEgypt.335:5Now34allthe men35who leftwere circumcised, but allthe sons36bornon the journeythrough the desertafter they leftEgyptwere uncircumcised.5:6Indeed, for fortyyearsthe Israelitestraveledthrough the desertuntilallthe menold enough to fightwhen they leftEgypt, the ones whohad disobeyedthe Lord, died off.37 For the Lordhadsworna solemn oath to them that he would notlet them seethe landhehadswornon oath to givethem,38a landrichin39 milkand honey.5:7He replacedthem with their sons,40whom Joshuacircumcised. They were uncircumcised; their fathers hadnotcircumcisedthem alongthe way.5:8Whenallthe men41 had been circumcised, they stayedthere in the campuntilthey had healed.5:9The LordsaidtoJoshua, “TodayI have taken away42the disgrace43of Egyptfrom you.” So that placeis calledGilgal44even tothisday.

5:10So the Israelitescampedin Gilgaland celebratedthe Passoverin the eveningof the fourteenthdayof the monthon the plainsof Jericho.455:11They atesome of the produceof the landthe dayafterthe Passover, including unleavenedbread and roastedgrain.465:12The mannastopped appearingthe daythey ate47some of the produceof the land; the Israelitesneveratemannaagain.48